Courses Taught:
27:130 Human Physiology
27:141 Exercise Physiology
27:142 Exercise Physiology Lab
27:241 Integrative Physiology Semimar
50:240 Human Organ Systems

Research Interests:
Studies in this laboratory are designed to elucidate the systemic, cellular, and molecular mechanisms by which an organism copes with various stresses (e.g., oxidants, heat, hypoxia), with a primary emphasis on factors contributing to the changes in stress tolerance that accompany biological aging. Areas of focus include:

1. Basic mechanisms of the stress response, including stress protein and free radical regulation, the potential beneficial or deleterious role of these proteins in regulating response to a variety of environmental stimuli, and the effect of aging on these responses;

2. The impact of oxidative stress on physiological function and its role in pathophysiological changes with aging and disease conditions;

3. Mechanisms responsible for altered control of metabolic, endocrine, thermoregulatory, and cardiovascular systems with aging at the whole animal, cellular, molecular and genetic levels;

4. The role of endogenous stem cells in tissue repair following stress, and the potential impact of aging on stem cell function.

Recent Publications:
Kregel KC. (Invited Review) Heat shock proteins: modifying factors in physiological stress responses and acquired thermotolerance. J Appl Physiol 92: 2177-2186, 2002. Click here for the reference.

Zhang HJ, Xu L, Drake VJ, Xie L, Oberley LW, and Kregel KC. Heat-induced liver injury in old rats is associated with exaggerated oxidative stress and altered transcription factor activation. FASEB J 17:2293-95, 2003 (Epub Express Article 03-0139fje, September 2003). Click here for the reference.

Zhang HJ, Doctrow SR, Xu L, Oberley LW, Beecher B, Morrison J, Oberley TD and Kregel KC. Redox modulation of the liver with chronic antioxidant enzyme mimetic treatment prevents age-related oxidative damage associated with environmental stress. FASEB J 18:1547-1549, 2004 (Epub Express Article 04-1629fje, August 2004). Click here for the reference.

Morrison, JP, Coleman MC, Aunan ES, Walsh SA, Spitz SR, and Kregel KC. Aging reduces responsiveness to BSO- and heat stress-induced perturbations of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes. Am J Physiol: Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 289: R1035-R1041, 2005. Click here for the reference.

Zhang HJ, Doctrow SR, Oberley LW, and Kregel KC. Highlighted Topic. A Physiological Systems Approach to Human and Mammalian Thermoregulation: Chronic antioxidant enzyme mimetic treatment differentially modulates hyperthermia-induced liver Hsp70 expression with aging. J Appl Physiol 100:1385-91, 2006. Click here for the reference.

Kregel KC and Zhang HJ. (Invited Review) An Integrated View of Oxidative Stress in Aging: Basic Mechanisms, Functional Effects and Pathological Considerations. Am J Physiol: Regul Integr Comp Physiol. August 2006.
Click here for the reference.